Transcranial magnetic stimulation system and methods

Abstract

A transcranial magnetic stimulation device in accordance with embodiments of the present invention comprises a head mount for disposition on a head of a patient and configured with a plurality of attachment points, a plurality of magnetic assembly devices connected to the plurality of attachment points, a given magnetic assembly device equipped with an actuator device to actuate a magnet, is addressable, and configured to receive a control signal addressed to the given magnetic assembly device, and a processor having a memory and configured by program code. The processor is configured to: select one or more treatment protocol units, generate a control signal using at least information contained in the selected treatment protocol units, energize at least one magnetic assembly device over a period of time to cause the magnet to actuate according to the control signal, and monitor the patient response to energizing to addressable actuator.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method for providing Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (“TMS”) to a patient, the method comprising:
 accessing from a remote data storage device, a treatment protocol for use by a head mounted transcranial magnetic stimulation device having one or more separately addressable magnetic assemblies, wherein the treatment protocol has been generated by assembling one or more treatment protocol units, each unit having a series of key-value pairs where the key-value pairs are used to instruct one or more of the separately addressable magnetic assemblies to generate a specific series of electric fields within the brain of the patient corresponding to one or more operational parameters for the one or more magnetic assembly devices; 
 validating that the treatment protocol does not exceed a threshold value for at least one of the series of key-values pairs; 
 providing a head mount for disposition on a head of a patient, the head mount comprising a plurality of points for releasable mounting a plurality of magnetic device assemblies, each magnetic device assembly comprising a magnet and an actuator device for selectively providing a rapidly changing magnetic field capable of inducing weak electric currents in the brain of the patient so as to apply a treatment that modifies natural electrical activity of the brain of the patient; and 
 providing a rapidly changing magnetic field with at least one of the magnet assemblies in accordance with the treatment protocol and in response to receipt of the control signal. 
 
     
     
         14 . The TMS method of  claim 13  comprising modifying at least one generated treatment protocol units upon a determination that the generated treatment protocol unit is invalid. 
     
     
         15 . The TMS method of  claim 13 , wherein the treatment is selected from depression, neurological and psychiatric disorders, migraines, aphasia, anxiety, Parkinson's disease, tinnitus, autism, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, ALS, stroke (e.g. ischemic), Myotonic Dystrophy type 1 (DM1), stuttering, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, visceral pain and dystonia, cocaine, opioid and other addictive behavior.